Remote vending control apparatus

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a control circuit whereby a vending machine may be enabled, monitored, and disabled under the control of a remote operator. The remote operator station and the vending apparatus itself are connected by a single electrical control wire. The remote controller, by activating the initialization switch, enables the vending apparatus such that a purchaser, in following the procedure of using the vending apparatus, may dispense a certain quantity of product, that quantity being monitored by the remote controller. Fundamentally, the apparatus of the invention comprises a unique arrangement of electrical switches operating in conjunction with an SCR and a triac whereby activation, control, and monitoring of the elements of the dispensing apparatus may be achieved.

United States Patent [1 1 1 3,852,577

Moon et a1. Dec. 3, 1974 1 1 REMOTE VENDING CONTROL Primary E.\'aminerGareth D. Shaw APPARATUS lnventors: Lawrence Michael Moon; Herbert W. Timms, both of Tuscon, Ariz.

Assignee: Herbert W. Timms, Tucson. Ariz.

Filed: Apr. 2, 1973 Appl. No.: 346,843

Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Gnuse Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Oldham & Oldham Co.

[57] ABSTRACT This invention relates to a control circuit whereby a vending machine may be enabled, monitored, and disabled under the control of a remote operator. The remote operator station and the vending apparatus itself are connected by a single electrical control wire. The remote controller, by activating the initialization switch, enables the vending apparatus such that a purchaser, in following the procedure of using the vending apparatus, may dispense a certain quantity of product, that quantity being monitored by the remote controller. Fundamentally, the apparatus of the invention comprises a unique arrangement of electrical switches operating in conjunction with an SCR and a triac'whe'reby activation, control, and monitoring of the elements of the dispensing apparatus may be achieved.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Pump MOTOR 115 VAC T RESET MOTOR A.C. NEUTRAL mammal 3W 3.852.577

- i I8. 0 4 i VOLTAGE \HSVDC REGULATOR R5 D4 l6 (:2

1i ZD R6 175-1 PUMP MOTOR RESET MOTOR T ||5vA DI 53 OFF TRIAC ON "'1 7 REVNDECUTRAL T D2 RI T2 .K W-F J 5 REMOTE VENDING CONTROL APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION chase. This type of operation has, in many locations,

been applied to the operation of gasoline service stations. However, many localities do not allow the operation of such self service gasoline stations since, due to alleged fire hazards, requirements have been placed upon such service stations to have an attendant on duty at all times that thestation is open to the public.

Even in the localities where attendants are required for gasoline stations, it is most desirable to provide apparatus whereby a single attendant may simultaneously control and monitor any of a plurality of gasoline dispensing units or pumps. Such apparatus would allow the service station establishments to satisfy the requirement of an on duty attendant while still guaranteeing that the service station will be operated in a most efficient manner.

Consequently, it is an object of the instant invention to present a remote vending control apparatus whereby a single attendant may simultaneously control any of a plurality of gasoline pumps.

A further object of the invention is to present such a remote vending control apparatus which is simplistic in design, requiring only three electrically conductive wires to connect the gasoline pumping stations to the remote operator station.

Yet a further object of the invention is to present a remote vending control apparatus which is rugged in construction, highly accurate and reliable in operation, and readily adaptable for utilization with presently existing apparatus of gasoline pumps.

These objects and other objects which will become apparent as the detailed description proceeds are achieved by a remote vending control apparatus for controlling the dispensing of gasoline by a customer from a gasoline pump located at a position remote from a controller, the pump having a computer associated therewith for registering the amount of gasoline dispensed by the pump motor through the solenoid control valve of the pump, comprising first circuit means to be actuated by the controller for enabling the pump for actuation and utilization by the customer; second circuit means to be actuated by the customer whereby the computer is cleared and the solenoid valve and pump motor are actuated to dispense gas; third circuit means actuated after the clearing of the computer and associated with the pump motor for sensing the amount l 2 be had to the followitig detailed description and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the DC power supply of the invention' and FIG. 2 is a detailed schematic diagram of the control circuitry of the inve tion.

Referring now to t e drawings and more particularly FIG. 1, an understariding of the apparatus comprising the power supply of the invention may be had. It can be seen that a l V0 t AC line voltage is applied across terminals I4 and 16 f a center tap transformer or triad 12. Although the tra sformer 12 may have any of numerous characteristitlsl, it is contemplated that that of the instant invention ill be such as to provide 20 volts RMS at the center p thereof. Rectifiers D3 and D4 are provided to pre ent a full wave rectified signal across the smoothing1capacitorC2 and to the input of the voltage regulator 8. Any of numerous voltage regulators would be satisfactory to achieve the purposes of the voltage regulator 8, but it is contemplated that the voltage regulator LM 09K manufactured by National Semi Conductor Inc., will be used. It should be noted that witha 20 volt R S output from the transformer of gasoline dispensed and creating signals indicative of 12, peak voltages of approximately 28 volts will be impressed across the c rcuit branch comprised of the zener diode ZD and he regulator 18. With thezener diode ZD having a 0 volt breakdown voltage, the input to the voltage r gulator 18 will be approximately 18 volts, this voltage being well within the regulating range, of the LM309K to account for fluctuations in the line voltage incident 0 the terminals 14 and 16 so as to guarantee a ripple iiree 15 volt DC output across the terminals 20 and 22. It should here be noted that the positive DC terminal 20 is grounded and is common with the Volt A terminal 14.

Thus it can be seen hat the DC power supply necessary for the apparatu of the instant invention may be readily constructed f om aminimum number of discrete components su h that this power supply may compactly interrelate with the remaining circuitry of the invention to be di cussed directly hereinafter.

With an understand ng of the apparatus of the power supply of the inventidn, reference should now be had to FIG. 2 where a detailed schematic showing of the control circuitry of th} invention may be seen. Here it can be seen that the ontrol circuitry of the invention comprises two main components; a remote box .30 which may be positioned at the operators station and the pump associated c'rcuitry 32 which maybe housed in the gasoline pump Lwithin the cavity normally containing the electro-me hanical control apparatus of the pump. It is of course tb be understood that the appara-. tus of this invention may be readily utilized with the electro-mechanical riomputer associated with standard gasoline pumps hereby metering of the volume and value of gasoline ispensed may be achieved. Such computer" type app ratus is well known and understood by those skilled in the art. I

As can be seen fro FIG. 2, the remote box 30 contains therein an initia ization switch S6, a lamp L, an AC counter 34 havin a reset pushbutton to be actuated by the remote op rator to initialize the counter, a capacitor C1, and a r sistor R4. A fuse F may also be provided for safety punposes if so desired. Two lines are commonly shared by he remote box 30 and the circuitry 32. The only wir so shown is the control wire 36 which carries the logicY signals of the system, but it is to be understood that a neutral AC line common to the entire system would also pass between the circuit 32 and the box 30, providing the system ground.

The switch S6 is a spring loaded momentary switch which, when depressed by a remote operator to the initial terminal, provides a positive DC pulse through the resistor R4 to the gate G or the SCR. A resistor R3 is provided to keep a negative potential on the gate G with respect to ground except-for such times as when S6- is depressed to' the initial terminal. With S6 depressed theSCR conducts through the path created by the switch S4, resistors R1 and'R2, and the diode D2. Switch S4 is of course at this time switched to its terminal T1 as shown.

The switch S3 is what is commonly known as a handle switch which can be actuated or switched to the on terminal whenthe pump nozzle is removed from its slot in the side of the pump and the handle is rotated to cover the nozzle slot. This switch is well known and understood to those skilled in the art. With this actuation, an alternate route for current flow for the SCR is created. This new route, from system ground through the gate of the triac, switch S3, and the diode D1 is of substantially less resistance than the preceding one and consequently, the majority of the current will flow through this path. It should of course be understood that the diodes D1 and D2 simply form a filter network, keeping the AC-from finding a path for current flow through the triac gate to ground.

With the switch S3 so activated, the triac is caused to conduct thus activating the reset motor. The reset motor runs, clearing the computer wheels within the pump cavity so as to initialize the quantity and value indicating wheels to respective zeros. The reset motor runs until a mechanical action in the electric reset switch S2 is actuated. This electric reset is a Veederthe SCR when the switch S5 is connected to T1. A lamp L is provided inparallel with the counter 34 to blink as pulses are received from the impulser 40 so as to indicate to the operator that gasoline is being dispensed.

After the customer has dispensed the desired amount of gasoline, the handle or switch S3 is turned to the off position in order to replace the nozzle in the slot within the side of the pump. As the handle is rotated off, the switch S2 actuates and switches to the terminal-T2 thus causing the reset motor to again run. This motor run causes switch S4 to actuate to the terminal T1 thus breaking the ground side of the reset motor and preventing the running thereof. At the same instant in time that switch S4 actuated switches S1, S3 and S5 are also switched 'to their initial positions. In other words, S1 and S3 are turned to their respective off terminals and the switch S5 is switched to the terminal T1. All this of course is effectuated by the electric reset referred to hereinabove. This resetting completes the cycle such that if the pump handle S3 is now turned back on nothing can happenuntil S6 is again depressed to the initial terminal.

Root" form number 726990-039 as manufactured by Veeder-Root Inc. of Hartford, Connecticut. Such electromechanical switching is well known and understood in the art. At this same instant in time switches S1, S4 and S5 are also switched due to the same reset mecha nism. .53 remains in the on position but, since S2 has been actuatedto the terminal Tl, there is no. longer a complete circuit between the two anodes of the triac.

Thus only leakage current flows through the gate Gof connected to the control wire 36 through switch S5 which has now been switched to the terminal T2. Of course, one side of the impulser has already been connected to the 1 15 volt AC line. The impulser 40, as is well known to those skilled in the art, is merely a switch that is closed automatically each time a penny is registered on the value wheel of the compute'fi' within the pump cavity. Hence the l 15 volt AC counter 34 which is grounded through the capacitor C1 and contained within the remote box 30 provides an accurate method of monitoring thevalue of the quantity of gasoline dispensed. The capacitor Cl of course further provides a means for eliminating the 15 volts DC from forcing current through the counter 34 to the gate Got It should be noted that the circuitry comprising the instant invention is all solid state. This solid state circuitry provides immunity tothe vibrations and elements of the atmosphere within which the apparatus is most likely to be requiredto function. Further, the common system ground being shared by both the AC and DC portions of the system, provide for a large de gree of noise immunity. 2

Thus it can be seen that the objects of the invention have been achieved by the apparatus and techniques presented and described hereinabove. While in accordance with the patent statutes only the best-known and preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented and described in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby. Consequently, for an appreciation of the contemplated breadth of the invention reference should be'had to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

Y LA remote vending control apparatus whereby a remote controller may enable and monitor the dispensing of gasoline through a solenoid control valve of a motor actuated gasoline pump having a computer for registering the amount of gasoline dispensed by acustomer,

comprising: first switch means controlled by the remote controller forinitially gating an SCR into a-conducting state and subsequently providing a path of conduction from a signal generating source to a monitoring device; i second switch means connected to the, SCR and activated by the customer for initializing the gasoline pump computer andenabling the pump to dispense gasoline; and i third switch means, connected to the first switch means by a single control wire, which is automatically actuated after the initialization of the computer for activating the solenoid control valve and pump motor and further enabling the signal generating source andconnecting the signal generating source to the first switch means, the control'wire carrying an initialization signal to the SCR prior to actuation of the third switch means and signals from the signal generating source to the. monitoring device after. such actuation. i

2. The remote vending control apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the first switch means comprises a momentary switch connected to the gate of the SCR.

3. The remote vending control apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the signal'generating source is an impulser and the monitoring device is an AC counter.

4. The remote vending control apparatus as recited a handle switch. 

1. A remote vending control apparatus whereby a remote controller may enable and monitor the dispensing of gasoline through a solenoid control valve of a motor actuated gasoline pump having a computer for registering the amount of gasoline dispensed by a customer, comprising: first switch means controlled by the remote controller for initially gating an SCR into a conducting state and subsequently providing a path of conduction from a signal generating source to a monitoring device; second switch means connected to the SCR and activated by the customer for initializing the gasoline pump computer and enabling the pump to dispense gasoline; and third switch means, connected to the first switch means by a single control wire, which is automatically actuated after the initialization of the computer for activating the solenoid control valve and pump motor and further enabling the signal generating source and connecting the signal generating source to the first switch means, the control wire carrying an initialization signal to the SCR prior to actuation of the third switch means and signals from the signal generating source to the monitoring device after such actuation.
 2. The remote vending control apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the first switch means comprises a momentary switch connected to the gate of the SCR.
 3. The remote vending control apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the signal generating source is an impulser and the monitoring device is an AC counter.
 4. The remote vending control apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the second switch means, when activated, connects the gate of a triac to the conducting SCR, the triac in turn providing a path of conduction for a reset motor associated with the computer.
 5. The remote vending control apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein the second switch means comprises a handle switch. 